Increase in summer deaths on the roads

THE number of people who have died in road accidents during the summer has significantly increased this year, said a spokesperson from the Traffic Management Department. In the last three months thirty six people have died as a result of traffic accident in the Balearic Islands, which is 85 percent more than the same period in 2004. So far this year a total of 73 people have lost their lives on the Balearic roads, which represents a 12 percent decrease over the first eight months of 2004. Practically half of the people who have died were under 30 years old (36 people in total), which is a 12.5 percent increase.
By island, Majorca and Minorca have registered less road deaths this year compared to last year by 21 and 69 percent respectively.
In Ibiza and Formentera, traffic deaths have increased by 150 percent.
This summer has been a disastrous one for the Balearic roads with 36 people dying after being involved in a traffic accident, which contrasts starkly with June, July and August in 2004 when only 19 people died. Most of these deaths were the drivers of the vehicle involved in the accident (49 people), 14 were passengers and 9 were pedestrians. Fifty-two men died, 21 were foreigners, 10 were older than 65 years. In addition, the Guardia Civil traffic police were on the roads in the Balearic Islands last weekend keeping an eye out for drivers who had been drinking, and a total of 28 drivers tested positive in the breathalyser tests. The most over the limit drivers were found in Majorca (a total of 20 drivers), whilst there were five in Ibiza and three in Minorca.